Handling apparatus for electroplating installations

ABSTRACT

A HANDLING APARATUS WHICH IS PRIMARILY INTENDED FOR USE IN ELECTROPLATING INSTALLATIONS AND SERVES TO LOWER PARTS TO BE TREATED INTO A PLATING TANK, TO WITHDRAW SAID PARTS THEREFROM AND TO CONVEY THEM TO THE FOLLOWING TANK. THE APPARATUS IS CONSTITUTED BY FRAME SUSPENDED FROM AN OVERHEAD TRACK MOUNTED ABOVE THE PLATING TANKS AND SAID FRAME IS MADE UP OF A VERTICAL EXTENSION ALONG WHICH IS PART-HOLDING SUPPORT IS CAPABLE OF MOVING. ACCORDING TO THE INVENTION, THE VERTICAL FRAME EXTENSION IS PROTECTED BY A SHIELD CASING CONSTITUTING A PRACTICALLY SEALED ENCLOSURE IN WHICH IS MOUNTED A VERTICALLY MOVABLE CARRIAGE FITTED WITH SAID PART-HOLDING SUPPORT AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND BEYOND THE SHIELD CASING THROUGH AT LEAST ONE LONGITUDINAL SLIT FORMED IN SAID CASING. THE FRAME IS ALSO PROTECTED BY A SHIELD CASING WHICH IS JOINTED TO THE SHIELD CASING OF THE VERTICAL FRAME EXTENSION AND HOUSES THE UNITS FOR THE PROPULSION AND CONTROL OF THE CARRIAGE ON WHICH THE PART-HOLDING SUPPORT IS MOUNTED.

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0359 7' K4 we we United States Patent 3,567,614 HANDLING APPARATUS FOR ELECTROPLATING INSTALLATIONS Robert Vauriac, Taverny, France, assignor to Les Procedes Rovac, Villeneuve-la-Garenne, Hauts-de-Seine, France Filed May 16, 1968, Ser. No. 729,586 Claims priority, application France, May 31, 1967,

108,519; Apr. 24, 1968, 149,186 Int. Cl. 365g 49/00; C23b /68 US. Cl. 204-202 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A handling aparatus which is primarily intended for use in electroplating installations and serves to lower parts to be treated into a plating tank, to withdraw said parts therefrom and to convey them to the following tank. The apparatus is constituted by a frame suspended from an overhead track mounted above the plating tanks and said frame is made up of a vertical extension along which a part-holding support is capable of moving. According to the invention, the vertical frame extension is protected by a shield casing constituting a practically sealed enclosure in which is mounted a vertically movable carriage fitted with said part-holding support and adapted to extend beyond the shield casing through at least one longitudinal slit formed in said casing.

The frame is also protected by a shield casing which is jointed to the shield casing of the vertical frame extension and houses the units for the propulsion and control of the carriage on which the part-holding support is mounted.

This invention relates to a handling apparatus which is primarily intended to be used in electroplating installations and has as its principal function to convey the parts to be treated from one plating tank to another. The displacements involved in such conveying operations consist in removing parts from a tank, carrying said parts in translational motion above the following tank and then lowering them into this latter.

Many types of handling apparatus which meet these requirements are already known. One design which is worthy of mention consists of a conveyor-frame suspended from overhead rails above the battery of plating tanks. The conveyor-frame comprises a downwardly-extending vertical section on which a support is slidably mounted, the parts to be electroplated or a carrier for said parts being intended to be attached to the support.

However, it has been proved by experience that systems of this type are sensitive to the highly corrosive vapor which is given off by the plating baths. In particular, the arrangement of a support which is mounted to slide along a column and provided with a collar which surrounds said column presents major problems of maintenance.

The handling device according to the present invention is mainly intended to overcome the disadvantages which have been mentioned.

According to the invention, the handling apparatus which is primarily intended for use in electroplating installations and serves to lower parts to be treated into a plating tank, to withdraw said parts therefrom and to convey them to the following tank and which comprises a frame having a vertical extension along which a partholding support is capable of moving, is characterized in that said vertical frame extension is protected by a shield casing which forms a practically sealed enclosure in which is mounted a vertically movable carriage fitted with said part-holding support and adapted to extend beyond the shield casing through at least one longitudinal slit formed in said casing.

The stationary and movable elements of the frame extension are thus protected from corrosive vapor by the aforesaid shield casing.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the frame is also protected by a shield casing which is joined to the shield casing of the frame extension and houses the units for the propulsion and control of the carriage on which the part-holding support is mounted.

Preferably, the frame casing houses a fan which is placed in proximity to an air-section opening and which is intended to develop an overpressure within the entire shield casing.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the air-suction opening is joined to a duct whose extremity is slidably fitted in a stationary ventilation duct disposed parallel to the track from which the frame is suspended.

AccOrding to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the part-holding support is connected to the carriage which is displaceable within the vertical frame extension by means of two thin arms which traverse the shield casing of said frame extension through two parallel slits fitted with flexible seals. These means substantially increase the effectiveness of the eparation between the interior of the apparatus and the surrounding atmosphere, thereby minimizing corrosion hazards and maintenance requirements.

Further properties and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which now follows below.

A number of embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings which are given by way of example and not in any limiting sense, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation on a small scale with parts broken away and showing a first embodiment of the aparatus, the part-holding support being located in the vicinity of its lowermost position;

FIG. 2 is the corresponding front view in which a portion of the plating tank is shown diagrammatically;

FIG. 3 is a plan View of the apparatus showing the rolling elements of the frame;

FIG. 4 is a detail view in side elevation showing the frame on a larger scale, a part of the shield casing wall having been broken away;

FIG. 5 is the corresponding front view taken along line V-V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the rolling system taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the frame extension, this view being taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 8 and showing a first embodiment of the carriage;

FIG. 8 is the corresponding horizontal sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional side view of the carriage taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 8 showing the moving system and support in partial cross-section;

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view of the frame extension, this view being taken along the XX of FIG. 11 and showing a second embodiment of the carriage;

FIG. 11 is the corresponding horizontal sectional view taken along line XI-XI of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a view in side elevation on a small scale showing a second embodiment of the apparatus, this view being taken along line XII XII of FIG. 13;

FIG. 13 is the corresponding front view taken along line XIIIXIII of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is the corresponding plan view, partly in section, taken along line XIVXIV of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a view in side elevation and partly in section taken along line XVXV of FIG. 16 showing a third embodiment of the apparatus;

FIG. 16 is the corresponding horizontal sectional view taken along line XV IXVI of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is the corresponding vertical sectional view taken along line XV II-XVII of FIG. 16.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, it is apparent that, in the first form of construction under consideration, the handling apparatus essential- 1y comprises a frame 1 suspended from a roller track 2 which passes over the electroplating tanks 3. The frame 1 comprises a vertical extension 4 and a carriage 5 which is capable of displacement within said frame extension, a support 6 being secured to said carriage and designed to hold the parts to be treated.

In accordance with the present invention, the complete assembly which is constituted by the frame 1 and frame extension 4 is enclosed within a shield casing which forms a practically sealed enclosure. Said casing can be fabricated, for example, from plates 7 of stainless steel or synthetic material which are fixed on flanged sections such as the section 10 of the frame 1 and frame extension 4. Depending on the type of material constituting the plates 7, these latter can be fixed either by welding or by means of screws (as shown in FIG. 4).

The roller track 2 is advantageously made up of an I- beam and, in the example herein described, the frame 1 is suspended from pairs of runner-wheels 11 carried by yokes 12 (as shown in FIG. 6), said yokes being rigidly fixed to pivot-pins 13 which are rotatably mounted in the structural framework of the carriage 1. By means of this mode of assembly, the runner-wheels are permitted to conform closely to the curves of the track 2.

In order to ensure good stability, the frame 1 is provided with a lateral arm 14 (as shown in FIG. 3). The arm 14 terminates in two runner-wheels 15 located in vertically opposite relation and applied against the flange of an angle-iron 16 which extends parallel to the track 2.

The propulsion of the apparatus is effected by a motor 17 which is housed within the frame 1 and is adapted to drive rubber-covered wheels 55 which are applied against the underside of the I-beam 2 on the side opposite to the runner-wheels 11, thereby ensuring that the carriage is driven without any danger of slippage and contributing to the stability of the frame 1.

The structural framework of the vertical extension 4 is essentially constituted by two channel-iron members 18 which are joined to the structural framework of the frame 1 and serve for the attachment of the shield-casing plates 7. The channel-irons 18 also serve as a roller track for the carriage 5. To this end, said carriage has a chassis 19 provided with two axle tubes 21 traversed by axles 22 which terminate in runner-wheels 23 (as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8). A push-button control unit 51 carried by an arm 52 is fixed at the bottom of the vertical frame extension 4.

The part-holding support 6 is in turn provided (as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9) with two flat side-plates 25 of triangular shape which are joined by a web 26 and welded to the chassis 19. The side-plates 25 are adapted to traverse the front 'wall 27 of the vertical frame extension 4 through two longitudinal slits 28 (shown in FIG. 2) which extend up to the full height of the vertical frame element 4. The slits 28 are advantageously lined with seals 29 constituted by two pairs of lips which, in the rest position, seal the slits referred-to above while at the same time permitting the side-plates 25 of the part-holding support 6 to pass freely.

Height control of the carriage 5 is carried out by a motor 31 housed within the frame 1. The motor 31 with built-in reduction gearing is adapted to drive a sprocket 32 over which is passed a chain 33. Said chain extends downwards along the vertical frame element 4 and is finally guided over a sprocket 34 of the chassis 19 to a fixed point consisting of a hook 35 carried by the lower axle tube 21.

Vertically below the chain length 33 which is thus guided laterally and located between the sprocket 34 and the hook 35, the base 36 of the vertical frame extension 4 is adapted to carry a vertical arm 37 terminating in a fork 38 in which is mounted a sprocket 39 whose teeth are adapted to engage with the links of the chain 33. A balance weight 53 which is attached to the free extremity of the chain 33 is capable of sliding within a tube 54 disposed within the frame extension 4 and which serves as a tensioning member for the free length of said chain.

In the embodiment under consideration, the shield casing which is formed by the plates 7 is adapted to communicate with the exterior by means of an opening 41 (shown in FIG. 5) located on the front face 42 of the frame 1. In addition, in the preferred version herein described, the opening 41 is fitted with a ventilating-fan 43 with vanes which is capable of aspirating the surrounding air. Within the interior of the shield casing, the axis of the fan 43 intersects with the axis of the reduction-gear motor 31.

Under these conditions, it is apparent that, if the fan 43 is started up, it sucks in the outside air and puts it under pressure inside the casing which protects the frame 1 and frame extension 4. Only a small quantity of indrawn air is permitted to escape through the slits 28 of the face 27. The air stream thus produced within the shield casing already has the effect of cooling the motor 31 and to a certain extent the motor 17. Moreover, and above all,

by reason of the overpressure thus generated within the shield casing, the corrosive vapor which lies stagnant above the plating tanks 3 cannot penetrate into the apparatus. This arrangement in conjunction with the mechanical protection afforded by the shield casing against projections of liquid results in extremely effective protection of the actuating mechanism while at the same time almost entirely dispensing with the need for maintenance.

It will also be understood that, when the motor 31 is started up and initiates the rotation of the sprocket 32, the movement of displacement of the carriage 5 is permitted to take place as a result of the rolling motion of the runner-wheels 23 between the channel-irons 18, the flat side-plates 25 being also permitted to move freely within the slits 28 by virtue of the flexibility of the lipped seals 29. When the carriage 5 reaches the lower end of travel, that portion of the chain 33 which is located between the sprocket 34 and the hook 35 is arrested by the sprocket 39. Said chain is consequently reeved as shown in FIG. 7 and moves at half-speed at the end of travel.

The means provided accordingly perform a speedreducing function while permitting the use of a singlespeed motor.

In an alternative form of construction of the first embodiment as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the ends of the axle tubes 21 of the carriage 5 are fitted with bushings 152 which are held in position by means of projecting annular flanges 151.

In addition, vertical guide rails 153 are bolted on the channel-irons 18 which constitute the structural framework of the vertical frame extension 4. U-section shoes 154 are forcibly fitted in steel supports 155 and are slidably mounted on said rails. The shoes 154 are formed of a self-lubricating plastic material such as polytetrafluoroethylene or polyethylene and afford high resistance to chemical agents. The rails 153 are formed of stainless steel.

'Each support 155 is fitted with a spindle 156 which is engaged in the bushing 152 of the corresponding axle tube 21. The annular flanges 151 are provided with internally threaded holes in which are screwed bolts 157, the heads of which are applied against the supports 155. Clamping nuts 158 are fitted for the purpose of locking said bolts in position.

Under these conditions, it is clear that highly effective guiding of the carriage 5 is thus ensured. By virtue of the self-lubricating properties of the shoes 154, the power absorbed as a result of friction is reduced to a minimum and the shoes 154 afford a high degree of resistance to wear as well as to the attacking action of chemical agents. The clearance between the shoes 154 and the rails 153 can be adjusted by means of the bolts 157 which additionally serve to take up the wear of the shoes.

In a second embodiment of the apparatus which is illustrated in 'FIGS. 12 to 14, the upper portion of the shield casing 100 of the frame 1 comprises an air admission duct 101 provided with a flattened nozzle 102.

Said nozzle 102 is adapted to penetrate into a ventilation duct 103 which is located in parallel relation to the track 2 and secured to the wall of the building in which the plating installation is housed. One extremity 104 of the ventilation duct 103 traverses the outer Wall 105 of the building through a seal 108 and has its opening in free air. The other extremity of the ventilation duct 103 is closed and is not shown in the drawings. The duct 103 is fitted with two flexible seals 107 which are separated by a longitudinal slit 106 formed parallel to the track 2 and through which the nozzle 102 of the air admission duct 101 is adapted to penetrate.

A suction fan 109 is mounted within the ventilation duct 103. If the surrounding air is charged with dust particles or moisture, the duct extremity 104 can additionally be fitted with an air filter which is indicated schematically at 111. Provision is also made inside the shield casing 100 for an air-heating system consisting, for example, of resistance-type heater elements 112 disposed at the delivery outlet of the fan 43.

The outside air which has previously been dried and dedusted by the filter 111 is sucked into the ventilation duct 103 by the fan 109. Said air flows in the direction of the arrows f, is drawn through the admission duct 101 into the interior of the shield casing 100 by means of the fan 43, flows past the motor 17 which drives the frame 1 and has the effect of cooling said motor. The slit 106 is closed off by means of the flexible seals 107 except in the immediate vicinity of the nozzle 102 of the air admission duct 101. By virtue of the flattened section of said nozzle 102, the loss of air at the point of junction between the ventilation duct 103 and the air admission duct 101 is reduced to a minimum.

When the handling apparatus is moved along the overhead track 2, the nozzle 102 slides within the slit 106 of the ventilation duct 103, thus ensuring the continuous supply of air to the shield casing 100.

As a consequence, the interior of the shield casing 100 is maintained at overpressure in the manner described, thereby preventing any admission of corrosive vapor which lies stagnant above the plating tanks. The air which penetrates into the shield casing 100 is therefore free of any trace of said vapor and is also dried and dedusted if necessary. Should the outside air have a high value of relative humidity, said air is heated by the resistance elements 112 in order that the actuating components contained in the frame extension 4 should thus be surrounded by dry air whilst the motor 17 remains in contact with cold air.

In the embodiments hereinabove described, the handling apparatus is capable of displacement in only one direction along an overhead track. In the third embodiment which will now be described with reference to FIGS. to 17, the apparatus is capable of displacement in two directions at right angles. In this manner, several parallel rows of plating tanks can be serviced by a single apparatus.

The frame 1 is suspended by means of rubbercovered runner-wheels 121 from a traveling beam 122. Said beam 122 comprises in a manner which is known per se a parallelepipedal box structure, the arrises of which are formed by angle-irons 123 whilst the faces are formed by plates 124. The runner-wheels 121 are arranged in two rows, each row being adapted to run along one angle-iron 123 of the beam 122. The spindles of the runner-wheels 121 are supported by angle-iron members 125 which are secured to the frame 1. The lower portion of the beam 122 is recessed so as to form a window 126 which provides a passageway for the angle-iron members One of the end faces 127 is adapted to support a reduction-gear motor 128 which drives a sprocket 129. A drivelink chain 131 is intended to engage with said sprocket 129 and is passed over another sprocket 132 which is mounted to rotate freely at the other extremity of the traveling beam 122. The extremities of the drive chain 131 are fitted with threaded rods 133 which are screwed into nuts 134 mounted on support brackets 135 which are fixed on the top portion of the frame 1. The drive chain 131 thus forms a closed loop, the top run of which passes within a guide 136, said guide being secured to the beam 122.

The traveling beam 122 is driven in a manner known per se in a direction at right angles to the plane of the chain 131 by a reduction-gear motor 137. Said motor 137 transmits motion to runner-wheels 139 which bear on the roller tracks 144. The beam 122 is also guided by counterbearing rollers 145.

The frame is thus capable of moving in the direction [1 under the action of the motor 128 and of the drive chain 131 and of servicing one line of plating tanks. The tension of the chain 131 can be adjusted by means of the threaded rods 133. The frame may then be transferred to another line of tanks by displacing the beam 122 along the roller tracks 144 in the direction g at right angles to h.

As will be readily understood, the invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been described in the foregoing and a number of alternative forms of construction could be contemplated without thereby departing from the scope of this invention.

Accordingly, should it be found desirable to cut off all communication between the interior of the shield casing and the exterior, it would be possible to dispense with the opening 41 and to make provision within said shield casing for a compressed-air cylinder having a sufiicient delivery to established an overpressure within said casing.

Similarly, the traveling beam 122 can be replaced by a conventional overhead traveling bridge and the ventilation duct 103 can open into the actual installation building at a point in which the air does not contain corrosive vapor.

What we claim is:

1. A handling apparatus which is primarily intended for use in electroplating installations and serves to lower parts to be treated into a plating tank, to withdraw said parts therefrom and to convey them to the following tank, said apparatus being constituted by a frame suspended from an overhead track mounted above the plating tanks, said frame comprising a vertical extension along which a partholding support is capable of moving and which is protected by a shield casing constituting a substantially sealed enclosure in which is mounted a vertically movable carriage fitted with said part-holding support and adapted to extend beyond the shield casing through at least one longitudinal slit formed in said casing, wherein said shield casing houses a fan which is placed adjacent to an airsuction opening and which is intended to develop an overpressure within the entire shield casing.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fan is so arranged that the stream of indrawn air effects the cooling of at least a part of the motors carried by the frame such as the traction motor and the motor for lifting the part-holding support.

US. Cl. X.R. 

